Contributor: John Keegan
Written by Ian Stokes
Directed by Andrew Seklir
After a couple of darker installments, it makes sense that the writers would want to turn to more comedic fare. That is, after all, the tone of the show; it would be hard to imagine “Warehouse 13″ going completely dark. While there are a few connections to the overall arc within the story, this is more an opportunity for the various characters to pair up and get into the field.
Since there are six artifacts in play all within the same town, there’s plenty of story to tell. Pete and Myka get the “A” plot, so to speak, but that’s just a matter of perspective. The episode is fairly balanced. What makes that plot thread the most dominant is how the acquisition of the other artifacts plays into the resolution to the whole “weather wizard” situation.
I like that the artifacts are a continuing consequence of Skyes’ gambit last season, and that the sacrifice of the “villain” actually amounted to some good in the end. Having Jessie act out in some vain attempt to save his brother ties directly into Artie and Claudia’s choices earlier this season. And the fact that Jessie had to die for things to be made right could be seen as foreshadowing for the potential sacrifice that the team, as a whole, may be required to make.
Speaking of consequences, the method of Steve’s resurrection has apparently led to a deep connection between Steve and Claudia. Whatever he feels, apparently she feels. So far, it only seems to work in terms of pain, which would be a bit of a downer. One can imagine a scenario where this could lead very quickly to a romantic relationship between the two of them! The broader implication, however, is that Claudia’s life is tied to Steve’s fate. If Steve goes rogue, and the Regents decide that he needs to be taken out, Claudia would presumably meet the same sticky end.
Artie and Lena represented the final pair, which I suppose was a plus for Lena fans. Considering how little we’ve seen of the character in the past couple seasons, there was little in this episode to correct the impression that she is extraneous. It doesn’t make for a natural partnership as a result, but at the same time, it worked well enough for them to hold up their end of the episode. Still, was anyone else thinking that it would have been more interesting if Artie’s partner had been H.G.?
On the other hand, that might have taken away from the intentions to make this a more light-hearted adventure. Everything about the episode suggested that it was meant to be taken in that vein, right down to the goofy transitions. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As I mentioned in the review for the previous episode, I anticipate that the writers will deliver moments like these as counterpoint to the darkness that is never quite out of sight.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Score: 8/10
